Sports
Sergio Aguero becomes Man City all-time record scorer as They progress into Champions League knock-out stages
What a way to break the record and what a place to do it. At the cavernous Stadio San Paolo where his erstwhile father-in-law Diego Maradona is still worshipped as a demi-god, Sergio Aguero ascended to greatness when he became Manchester City’s top scorer of all-time.
Aguero had stood level with 1930s star Eric Brook on 177 goals for 12 days, but it was only a matter of time before he claimed a place in history all for himself.
When the opportunity arrived in the 69th minute of his 264th appearance for City, Aguero did not let his team – or himself – down.
An absorbing Group F tie was evenly poised at 2-2 when City broke out of defence and the ball was played forward. Leroy Sane made enough of a nuisance of himself to force Elseid Hysaj to stumble and Aguero collected it 30 yards out.
Suddenly the path to goal was clear. The Argentine star drove into space and buried his shot past Pepe Reina into the bottom corner.
Maradona, father of Aguero’s ex-wife Giannina and grandfather to their son Benjamin, is revered here for inspiring Napoli to the Italian title in 1987 and 1990.
Aguero was already assured of a similar place in the hearts of City fans for his part in their two championship-winning seasons. But now his name will be officially etched into the history of the club.
His landmark goal maintained City’s 100 per cent record in the Champions League this season and sent Pep Guardiola’s side through to the knockout stage for the fifth year in a row as they became the first English club to win here in Naples.
Up to that point City had showed they can still do it the old-fashioned way on a night when the beautiful goals wouldn’t go in at first, with two corners leading to two headers from centre backs Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones.
But it wasn’t easy. It was never going to be in the imposing Stadio San Paolo against a team as good as Napoli, the Serie A leaders who have not lost here in the league since February and have only suffered three defeats in their last 24 games at home in Europe.
A young City side showed huge character in a manner that will have delighted Guardiola and sent out another ominous message to their rivals. He admitted they were ‘destroyed’ in the opening 20 minutes, but still recovered to score four times.
‘When everything is going well it’s easy. Even you and I can play,’ said Guardiola afterwards. ‘The point is how you react in bad moments and we did it really well. It was a great win for us.’
Looking to salvage their own Champions League hopes, Napoli were that little bit sharper early on and it was no surprise to see them take the lead in the 21st minute.
It was a beautifully-worked goal but perhaps a little too easy from City’s point of view. Dries Mertens played a lovely one-two on the edge of the box with Lorenzo Insigne who sliced through City’s defence and curled the ball around Ederson Moraes.
The place erupted and it was to City’s credit that they raised their game immediately.
They produced their best move of the first half which ended with Aguero’s shot being deflected inches wide of the post.
Napoli had not escaped, though. When De Bruyne delivered from the right, the ball was flicked on and Otamendi headed in at the far post for his first Champions League goal in 39 games.
It was also the defender’s second goal in three matches, as many as he had scored in the 93 before that.
He could even have had another before half-time. Ilkay Gundogan swept the ball to the back post where Otamendi miskicked in front of goal, and the ball looped up for Stones to plant a header against the bar from 15 yards.
Raheem Sterling must have thought he would score within seconds of the restart when he wriggled through but Raul Albiol got across to make a fantastic block.
Again, Napoli had only delayed City scoring for a matter of moments. Sane swung over a corner and Stones met it with another thumping header.
It hit the bar again but this time bounced down just over the line, a fact German referee Felix Brych confirmed after a few moments of uncertainty.
Now it was Napoli’s turn to raise their game. Insigne rattled the bar with a fine effort from 30 yards and the Italians were awarded a penalty on the hour mark for Sane’s late tackle on Albiol.
Jorginho kept his cool to beat Ederson from the spot and we were all square again.
Ederson made a wonderful when Jose Callejon was one on one with the keeper, and moments later Aguero struck.
There was still time for Kevin De Bruyne to set up Sterling to score a fourth right at the end, but nothing could take away from Aguero’s achievement. What a record. What a night.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes Marcus Rashford was unable to see football “the way I see it” before the unwanted England striker was shipped out of Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old Rashford fell dramatically out of favour with the Portuguese boss and spent seven weeks on the sidelines until he was loaned to Premier League rivals Aston Villa during the transfer window.
“I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,” Amorim said on Thursday.
“And sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different.
“I just wish the best to Rashford and to (Aston Villa coach) Unai Emery, and they can connect because he’s a very good player.”
Amorim, whose team face Leicester in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, said his focus now is on turning around a wretched season.
“Guys, in the summer… like we said before, we are fighting for our jobs until the summer,” he said.
“So, I am just focused on these games. Thankfully about Marcus he is in Birmingham now with Unai, so you can take these questions to another coach. We are just focused on our players at the moment.”
A Nigerian federal lawmaker, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has publicly criticised what he describes as a “deliberate conspiracy” against Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, calling for the club to treat the player with respect.
Oseni, a passionate football fan and supporter of Nigerian club Shooting Stars FC, Ibadan, and Manchester United, voiced his concerns through an official statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan.
The lawmaker, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in Oyo State and serves as Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), accused United of undermining Rashford’s career. He suggested the club is intentionally frustrating the England international, who has been a key figure for the Red Devils since breaking into the first team in 2016.
A Deliberate Attempt to Tarnish Rashford’s Legacy
Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring for Manchester United against Everton(Image: Getty Images)
Oseni believes Manchester United’s handling of Rashford’s situation is unfair, arguing that the player is being pushed out for reasons beyond footballing performance.
“The posture of Manchester United towards Rashford is a deliberate attempt to rubbish the glory this young man has built over the years,” Oseni stated.
“If he has made any mistakes—whether due to youthful exuberance, personal struggles, or any other reason—it should be understood as part of life’s journey. Everyone experiences highs and lows, but instead of supporting him, they have chosen to humiliate him.”
Rashford, now 27, has been frozen out of the squad since mid-December, despite being the club’s 13th all-time highest goal scorer. Reports suggest new manager Rúben Amorim has questioned Rashford’s commitment and has deliberately excluded him, a move Oseni sees as unjust and damaging to the forward’s career.
The controversy escalated last Sunday when Amorim allegedly told his coaching staff that he would rather field United’s 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, Jorge Vital, than recall Rashford to the squad.
Oseni condemned the remark, calling it an unnecessary public humiliation of a player who has given his best years to the club.
Internal Politics and Envy Behind Rashford’s Exclusion
“It is evident that Rashford is being pushed out of the club, not because of poor performance, but due to envy and internal politics,” Oseni remarked.
“If they no longer want him, they should handle it professionally and help him secure a move to another club that will celebrate him, rather than destroying the young talent.”
Rúben Amorim
The lawmaker highlighted Rashford’s recent performances, noting that despite limited game time under Amorim, he still managed to score four goals in just three appearances before being frozen out. He argued that Rashford’s exclusion is based on personal differences rather than footballing merit.
“Rashford once said he was ready for a new challenge out of frustration. Anyone in his shoes would feel the same after facing such humiliation. Instead of supporting him, they are making things worse. But I strongly believe that all these provocations will eventually lead to his elevation,” Oseni added.
United Must Show Rashford Respect
The Nigerian politician urged Manchester United’s management to reconsider their approach, stressing that Rashford deserves respect for his years of dedication to the club.
“Even if he made an error by expressing a desire to leave, the situation should have been handled privately rather than publicly humiliating him,” Oseni said.
“The coach’s statement that he would rather play a 63-year-old goalkeeper than Rashford is not only disrespectful but also unnecessary provocation. Despite this, Rashford has shown remarkable patience, considering all he has contributed to the team during his prime.”
He concluded by urging the club to allow Rashford to move on professionally if they no longer see him as part of their plans.
“No matter the challenges he faces, they will ultimately lead to his elevation, and those attempting to bring him down will only contribute to his success in the long run.”
Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) staged a protest on Thursday at the Moshood Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta, opposing the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the substantive coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Led by Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, the Clerk of the Senate of NANS, the students condemned the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), describing the appointment as a disappointment to Nigerians and football enthusiasts. They called for its immediate reversal, threatening to embark on a nationwide protest to press home their demands.
Addressing the gathering, Odunayo criticized the NFF’s decision, arguing it undermined the pool of coaching talent within Nigeria. He stressed that the Super Eagles deserve a tactically sound coach capable of harnessing the nation’s abundant football talent.
“We are gathered here today to address an issue that has not only baffled us but has also drawn widespread disapproval from Nigerian students and sports enthusiasts alike,” Odunayo stated.
“On behalf of the National Association of Nigerian Students, I, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, Clerk of the Senate of NANS National Headquarters, wish to categorically express our displeasure over the appointment of Eric Sekou Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
“This appointment, as announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is not only unacceptable but also a slap in the face of our nation’s abundant pool of local coaching talent. Consequently, NANS, as the voice of the Nigerian students, is compelled to organize a national protest to demand a reversal of this decision.”
The NFF had confirmed the appointment of Éric Sékou Chelle as the head coach of the Super Eagles on Tuesday. Chelle, who has previously managed clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne, and MC Oran, was also head coach of Mali’s Aiglons until his dismissal in June 2024.
The NFF tasked Chelle with guiding the Super Eagles to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals. With crucial qualification matches slated for March, his appointment is already generating controversy across the football-loving nation.
As the protests intensify, the NFF is yet to respond to the demands of NANS, leaving the future of the Super Eagles’ coaching leadership in uncertainty.
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